Halifax care home slammed and faces action from health watchdog

A shortstaffed nursing home failed to make improvements after warning notices were issued by the health watchdog over poor care.

Pellon Care Centre, which looks after vulnerable elderly people with dementia, is facing action form the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after being rated “inadequate” in its latest inspection report.

The home, on Pellon Lane, Halifax, had previously been warned over five breaches of care regulations, including staffing and safe care, when it was inspected in November.

But when the CQC returned in May the home was failing in all five of the required standards - safety, responsiveness, well-led, effectiveness and caring.

The CQC’s Debbie Westhead said: “I expected the service to use our inspection reports and warning notices to help address their problems and rectify them as a matter of urgency. It’s disappointing they have not.”

Parts of the home were dirty during the latest inspection.

Referring to one part of the home, the CQC report said: “We found dried on food on the underside of dining chair arms and dining tables.

“We saw cups and mugs in use were stained and in some cases dirty. We also saw plates ready for use to be dirty with dried on food.”

People living at the home told inspectors staff were caring, kind and attentive, the report said, but residents’ privacy and dignity was not always maintained.

Four Seasons Homes, which runs Pellon Care Centre, said improvements had since been made.

The company said in a statement: “We have been encouraged that families have written to the CQC and to the team in the home to express their high regard for the dedication of the staff and management and to register their astonishment that the home has been rated as inadequate.”